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Patented Dec. 6, I898.

R. 0 STEBBINS.

SLEEPING BAG.

(Application filed Dec. 31, 1897.) (No Model.)

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NITED STATES FFrcE.

PATENT SLEEPING-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters iPatent No. 615,642, datedDecember 6, 1898- Application filed December 31, 1897. Serial No.664,844. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RoswELL O. STEBBINS, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleeping- Bags; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to traveling and camping accoutrements for use inuninhabited regions where persons are compelled to sleep in the openair, and particularly to sleeping-bags intended for the use of travelersor sojourners in cold and desert regions where there is lack of materialfrom which to construct permanent or temporary dwellings for protectionagainst the intense cold and severity of the weather experienced in suchregions; and some of the objects of this invention are to provide anarticle of this general description which will meet the demands andrequirements of the user and of the climatic conditions under which itis de- 1 signed to be used and at the same time to provide such anarticle which will be light and easily carried and will be simple ofconstruction and effective for the purpose in tended; and with these andother objects in view the invention consists, substantially, of theconstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter morefully described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a top plan view of my improvedsleeping-bag. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section of the same online 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end View of the constructionillustrated in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow 3. Figs. rand 5 are respectively plan views of the intermediate and interiorportions or casings of my improved sleepingbag; and Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the bag, showing the hood or canopy raised.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts throughouttheseveral views.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, thereference character 1 designates a sleeping-bag constructed inaccordance with my invention, which preferably consists of threeindependent portions or casings, although any desired number of portionsor casings may be employed, and they may be of any preferred form orconfigura tion but from actual experience and practice I have found thegeneral form or shape herein shown and described to be the mostdesirable.

In Figs. 2 and 5 is illustrated the interior or innermost portion orcasing 2, which may be constructed of any suitable material, butpreferably of skin or hide with the fur or hair thereon, and whenconstructed of this material the fur or hair side of the skin is turnedinwardly, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, so as to be nextto the body of the occupant in order that the greatest amount of warmthmay be secured, although when the temperature admits this portion orcasing 2 may be turned inside out, or the fur or hair side thereof maybe directed outwardly, or this portion or casing may be disposed oftemporarily if the climate or temperature permits of its disuse, as itis readily removable from and is independent of the other parts orportions of my improved sleeping-bag of which it forms a part.

The portion or casing 2 is preferably provided with a slit or opening 3near one end thereof and extending approximately across one side of thesame; but I do not confine myself to any particular form or size ofopening or to the locations thereof, as these features may be modifiedas found desirable.

The intermediate portion or casing 4 is of the same general form orshape as the inner most portion 2, with the exception that it isslightly larger, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, to provide a freecirculation of air about the innermost portion 2 and to permit theexudations of the body of the occupant to pass off,

and this intermediate portion 4 is constructed of any suitable material,preferably of fiannel or its equivalent, and it is provided near one endthereof with a transverse slit or opening 5, extending substantiallyacross one side of the same, for the ad mission of the body of the userand also to furnish air and ventilation to the user, as will be readilyunderstood.

The exterior portion or casing 6 is preferably constructed of waterproofmaterial or its equivalent, although any suitable material may beemployed which will meet the requirements of the climatic conditionsunder which the sleeping-bag is used; but in practice I have found thatpegamoid is well adapted to meet the general requirements under ordinaryconditions, and the general form or shape of the exterior portion 6 issimilar to the other portions before described, only that it is largerthan any of the other portions to afford a free circulation of airthroughout the sleeping-bag and around each independent portion, whichfeature is of the utmost necessity, as has been demonstrated from yearsof actual experience.

The exterior portion 6 is preferably constructed of an approximatelyrectangular top and bottom part 7 and 8, respectively, which areconnected along their edges to a side strip 9 in any suitable manner,but here illustrated by means of one or more rows of stitching and abinding 10, to secure the edges of the parts, and these sides 9 arepreferably cut away, as shown at 10, Fig. 6, and formed on or connectedto the bottom 8 in any desired manner is a hood or canopy 11, consistingof a central strip 12, attached to the end 13 of the bottom 8, having avertical part or section 14, Fig. 2, and a horizontally-extending partor free end 15, adapted to project beyond the open end or part of theexterior portion 6, Fig. 2, and this central strip 12 is provided withwings or lateral flaps 16 and 17, which may be formed on or connectedtherewith in any suitable manner, and these wings or flaps 16 and 17 maybe of any desired form or shape; but I have found that the form hereinshown is suitable for the purpose.

I may connect cords or ropes 18 and 19 to the hood or canopy 11 at 20for the purpose of elevating the canopy or hood 11 by passing the cords18 and 19 through the eyes 22 of suitable stakes or rods 23, driven intothe ground at each side of the sleeping-bag, as clearly shown in Fig. 6of the drawings, and the ends of the cords 18 and 19, after passingthrough the said eyes 22,will be brought into the hood or canopy withinthe reach of the occupant or user of the sleeping-bag, so that bydrawing on the end of said cords the hood or canopy can be raised to thedesired height, or by loosening said cords it can be lowered until itassumes the substantially horizontal position illustrated in Figs. 1, 2,and 3, and when the weather is inclement or the temperature is very lowand it is desired to bring the hood or canopy down over the open end ofthe sleeping-bag approximately into the position shown in Fig. 2 thefree ends of the cords 18 and 19 will be passed through the loops orsimilar devices 21 at the corners of the wings or flaps 16 and 17, andthe ends will be passed under the end of the sleeping-bag, so that theywill cross thereunder and extend in opposite directions, whereby whenthe occupant is within the bag it is only necessary to grasp theextremities of the cords 18 and 19 and pull on the same and at the sametime elevate the shoulders of the occupant, and the wings or flaps 16and 17 will be drawn under the sleeping-bag and the rain or snow andcold air will be prevented from entering the open end of thesleeping-bag.

The peculiar construction of this bag facilitates the comfort andconvenience of the occupant and permits him to use the same in warmclimates or in very low temperatures by varying the number or characterof the independent portions, and by means of the gauze or netting 24,attached to the hood or canopy, mosquitoes, ants, and bugs arepractically prevented from entering the sleepingba ecured to orconnected with the free edge of the hood or canopy 11 in any desiredmanner is a section of netting or gauze 24, of any desired material,which is adapted to extend beyond the free edge of the hood or canopy 11and cover the opening between the top 7 of the sleeping-bag and the hoodor canopy 11, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6 of the drawings,and the free ends of this netting or gauze may be tucked under thesleeping-bag, if desired.

The operation of my improved sleeping-bag will be readily understoodfrom the foregoing description when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings and the following explanation thereof.

The user first slides within the innermost portion or casing, or, if thetemperature permits, he can only enter the intermediate or even theexterior portion or casing, and when in position therein he can regulatethe hood or canopy, as before described, so that the same will beelevated, as shown in Fig. 6, or drawn down over the open end of thesleepingbag, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, or in any other positiondesired.

The independent portions or casings may be detached and aired and turnedinside out, and they may be used singly or collectively, as desired.

I do not desire to confine myself to the specific construction,combination, and arrangement of parts herein shown and described,

' and I therefore reserve the right to make all such changes in andmodifications of the same as fairly come within the spirit and scope ofmy invention.

I-Iavingfully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire toobtain by Letters Patent, is

l. A sleeping-bag provided with separate or independent portions orcasings and each being adapted to completely envelop the occupant.

2. A sleeping-bag provided with independent portions or casings, havingan opening therein for the admission of the user, said portions beingadapted to be entirely secured one within the other.

3. An accoutrement for the purposes set forth, provided with independenttelescoping portions or casings, having each an opening therein for theadmission of the user, each of said portions or casings being largerthan the next adjacent portion or casing, whereby perfect ventilation isafforded.

4. An accontrement of the character described provided with a portion orcasing having an open end and a hood or canopy provided with lateralflaps or wings to inclose said end.

5. An accoutrement provided with an open end, and an adjustable hood orcanopy having lateral wings or flaps and a netting to inclose or protectsaid open end.

In testimony whereof I afiixmy signature I 5 in presence of twowitnesses.

ROSWELL O. STEBBINS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES S. ROGERS, M. L. SHAY.

